Partnering With Angels to Birth God's Promises in Your Life - KYLE WINKLER CHARISMA NEWS

Partnering With Angels to Birth God's Promises in Your Life

6/17/2017 KYLE WINKLER  CHARISMA NEWS

The Bible promises that God's spoken Word succeeds in what it's intended to do (see Isa. 55:11). Of course, this means whatever God speaks happens. But it also means that God's Word spoken out of the mouth of a child of God has the same power.

How Angels Enact God's Word

As I explore in-depth in my book, Activating the Power of God's Word, the way the Bible describes that this works is fascinating, and it involves the cooperation of two beings: humans and angels. Let me first tackle the role of the angels. The Bible proclaims, "Bless the Lord, you his angels, you who are mighty, and do his commands, and obey the voice of his word" (Ps. 103:20). What the first part of this psalm reveals is that God has delegated authority to the angels to enact His Word.

Think about the voice activation of your modern smartphone assistant, like Siri or Google. When you speak, "Hey, Siri" the phone comes to life and awaits your command. Of course, I don't intend to portray the angels as robots, but I imagine that they are "always on," listening for God's Word. And when they hear it, they go to work to help make it happen.

How You Give God's Word a Voice

The second aspect of the psalm uncovers the second intriguing concept. Notice it describes the role of the angels as those who "obey the voice of God's Word." But what does this mean? We know that the Bible is considered the Word of God. But if you hold your Bible up to your ear, it doesn't audibly speak to you. That's because the Bible does not have a voice unless we give it a voice. Yes, we—Christians—are given God's Word to speak. And when we speak it, it maintains God's authority as if He has spoken it Himself. That's because they are His words, not ours.

Activate God's Word

Think about the implications of all of this. When you speak a declaration of the Scripture in Philippians 4:6, "I am not anxious for anything," you give voice to God's Word, activating the angels to bring peace that surpasses all understanding. Or when you declare 1 Corinthians 10:13, saying, "No temptation will overtake me," the angels respond to it by providing a way of escape.

Remember: whether spoken directly from His mouth or spoken through you and me, God's Word is sure to succeed. It never falters; it never fails. It will uphold you through anything you currently face and whatever the future brings. Angels are ready and waiting to ensure that it happens. 

Kyle Winkler equips people to live in victory. His mobile app, Shut Up, Devil!, is the #1 spiritual warfare app; and his book, Activating the Power of God's Word, uncovers 16 strategic declarations to transform your life. Kyle holds a Master of Divinity in biblical studies from Regent University. Get daily encouragement from Kyle on Facebook andTwitter.

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The Accuser vs. Donald Trump—and Us All - KYLE WINKLER CHARISMA NEWS

Does the devil have something in your past that he can use right now? Think about that before you point fingers at someone else. (Flickr )

The Accuser vs. Donald Trump—and Us All

10/22/2016 KYLE WINKLER  CHARISMA NEWS

I've hesitated to write this article in the chance it might be misconstrued as entering into the fray of this crazy election cycle. But you can put your pitchfork down.

This isn't a political persuasion piece, but it's a current-event case study in the strategies of Satan against us all.

By now, who hasn't heard about the lewd talk and assault allegations dredged up against Donald Trump from some 11-30 years ago? It's ugly stuff, to be sure. The comments unveiled on the Access Hollywood tape are disgusting.

And the allegations, if true, are the substance of nightmares. But that's precisely what sin is. Let's not be naïve. Whatever the infraction, when exposed, it's never rosy.

But if you're a Christian, these October surprises shouldn't come as a surprise at all. Not because of what we know about Donald Trump's sordid past, but because this tactic being waged against him has the signature of Satan all over it. Keep reading.

Trump's Transformation

To continue, I confess that an assumption must be made. We must accept the rumor that sometime since the beginning of his campaign, Donald Trump made a profession of faith. Dr. James Dobson believes this to be true. I can't know for sure, and neither can you. But for the purpose of this teaching, let's assume it is.

When Donald Trump believed in and confessed the lordship of Christ for his life, the Bible assures he was saved (Rom. 10:9). In this moment, he was transformed from a man dead in sin to a man alive "in Christ." This marked the inauguration of a metamorphosis in which old things passed away and all things became new (2 Cor. 5:17).

The implications of this are staggering for anyone. Consider its effects. As a new person in Christ, the spiritual consequence of sins such as lustful thoughts, crude language, sexual perversion, theft or cheating are gone.

Yes, the record of those transgressions are cancelled by the power of the cross (Col. 2:14). One in Christ is now identified by a new record—the record of Jesus, which includes being called God's child (Gal. 3:26), loved unconditionally (Rom. 8:38) and declared righteous (2 Cor. 5:21). Anyone who's saved gets to claim this re-born identity for himself or herself, including Donald Trump.

The Strategies of Satan

Before one's salvation, Satan works vehemently to thwart any opportunities for it (this is why Satan means "adversary"). But if he fails, he moves on to a second strategy, which is to assume the role of accuser (Rev. 12:11). As accuser, Satan deploys reminders of the past in attempts to convince that nothing changed. That is, he wants the saved to believe that old things didn't pass way and that maybe God has not forgiven them.

The Greek word for his name, "Devil," gives even more insight into how he works. It'sdiabolos, which means, "slanderer." As we know, to slander is to make a false statement that's damaging to a person's reputation.

And there's no better way to describe the goal of Satan's accusations. Whether a new Christian like Donald Trump or a decades-old Christian like some of us, Satan constantly seeks to dredge up the past in order to slander one's identity in Christ.

Because Satan is crafty, he also knows just when to bring the past into the present. He often holds out until the moment just before something new or monumental. I know this all too well.

As I chronicle in my book, Silence Satan, within the first few months after I launched my ministry, my mind was bombarded by vicious reminders of my every sin since potty training! During this time, accusations overwhelmed me. "Look what you've done; God can't use you," they taunted.

I'm certain that the goal of Satan's accusations was to convince me to quit. And that's why I'm not surprised by this sudden onslaught against Donald Trump. Undoubtedly, the devil wants to silence the Donald; he wants him to give up. Perhaps not for political reasons, but at least for the reason he wants to silence you and me: bold Christians pose a huge threat to tear down his sham kingdom.

What's a Donald to Do?

When you find yourself the subject of Satan's slander, there are only two choices: 1) continue to entertain his threats and live in guilt, shame and defeat, or 2) learn how to silence them and live in victory. Obviously, the latter is what I'm here to discuss.

After the assault I suffered, I had to finally accept that God's Word and what He says about me are more real than what I feel, what happened in my past or what anyone has ever said about me. Regardless of how vivid or devastating, I determined that I wouldn't allow these reminders to intimidate me. Rather, I would stand steadfast and silence Satan's assaults with declarations of truth from God's Word.

This is when the idea for my Shut Up, Devil! app first came to mind. I believed a mobile app would be an effective means to put the power of God's Word in my pocket to confront whatever issue I faced, whenever I faced it. In the end, what I thought was simply a handy tool for me has now helped tens of thousands silence Satan's threats against them too. (You may download it free at shutupdevil.org/app.)

None of us are exempt from the enemy's accusations. And the greater the impact of your destiny, the more you can count on them. While it's true that you can't change the past, you don't have to be ruled or shut down by it.

The solution to overcome Satan's strategy against you is to shut him up with the truth of God's Word consistently flowing through your mind and your mouth. When you're convinced of who you are and what you have in Christ, you will keep Satan silenced in your life. 

Kyle Winkler equips people to live in victory. His mobile app, Shut Up, Devil!, is the No. 1 spiritual warfare app, and his recent book, Silence Satan, has helped thousands shut down the enemy's attacks, threats, lies and accusations. Kyle holds a Master of Divinity in biblical studies from Regent University. Get daily encouragement from Kyle on Facebook and Twitter.

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The 3 Stages of Satan's Last Days Strategy Against Us - KYLE WINKLER CHARISMA MAGAZINE

The 3 Stages of Satan's Last Days Strategy Against Us

7/14/2016 KYLE WINKLER  charisma magazine

Join us on our new podcast each weekday for an interesting story, well told, from Charisma News. Listen at charismapodcastnetwork.com.

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Shortly after an encounter with intense spiritual warfare, the Lord revealed to me that, long before we were born, Satan devised a series of progressive stages intended to destroy our generation.

"It's a setup," God said. And He instructed me to expose this design so that we might not be outwitted by Satan (2 Cor. 2:11).

Satan's Setup

In 2 Timothy 3, Paul writes that the last days will be distressing times filled with lovers of money, slanderers, unholy and lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. Certainly, those of us in the \church have heard this passage preached plenty of times.

But then God showed me verse 6 in a fresh way. They will be burdened with sins and led away with various desires," Paul warned.

With this verse, the Lord revealed to me the three stages of Satan's strategy against us, which later became the premise of my book, Silence Satan.

Stage 1: Overwhelm the culture with junk. To be overwhelmed means to be bombarded to the point of defeat. And this is precisely how Satan uses sin to destroy us today. He inundates our world with so much filth and perversion so that it's almost impossible to escape it. You can't browse the Internet, drive down the road, or wait in the checkout line at the store without some image or headline that tries to take your mind in the wrong direction. With this, he moves us into stage two. 

Stage 2: Sway by desires. The culture of sin is designed to keep our minds in this place at all times, which is crucial to Satan's strategy. He knows that where the mind goes, the man follows. Before long we're consumed with the pleasures of the flesh and swayed from one regretful experience to the next.

Stage 3: Torment with accusations. By definition, a setup is a scheme or a trick intended to incriminate someone. And that's final stage of Satan's strategy. He overwhelms with sin, leads from one regretful experience to the next, then he heaps on shame and condemnation all to cause you to feel distant from God. He'll tell you that you've messed up too much and are therefore too far beyond God's love or God's use. If Satan can get you to genuinely believe this, then like Adam and Eve, you'll want to hide from God out of fear that He's mad, rather than be in close relationship with Him.

A Prevailing Strategy

Thankfully, God provides a prevailing strategy to escape Satan's wiles. And a key component is Proverbs 23:19: " ... Guide your heart in the way" (MEV). To overcome the attacks in these distressing times, it's crucial to replace evil and negative thoughts with pure and positive ones. Do this by consistently running God's Word through your mind and your mouth.

Be assured: A habit of meditating upon and speaking Scripture aloud keeps your mindset on godliness and helps you stand strong in a culture saturated with sin and shame. 

Kyle Winkler equips people to live in victory. His mobile app, Shut Up, Devil!, is the #1 spiritual warfare app; and his recent book, Silence Satan, has helped thousands shut down the enemy's attacks, threats, lies and accusations. Kyle holds a Master of Divinity in biblical studies from Regent University. Get daily encouragement from Kyle on Facebook and Twitter.

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4 Unfailing Defenses to Combat Torment in the Night

Here's how you can sleep peacefully in victory over Satan. (iStock photo )

4 Unfailing Defenses to Combat Torment in the Night

9/19/2015 KYLE WINKLER  charisma news

Satan isn't creative, but he is predictable. He operates from a playbook of strategies, which he launches systematically on person after person.

But, don't mistake predictability for stupidity: He's certainly cunning and knows just when to attack. Many of his plays are set in motion—not when we're alert and strong—but when our defenses are down. It's no surprise, then, that one of the most popular questions I receive regarding spiritual warfare relates to how to combat torment in the night—persistent nightmares, sexual dreams or even the presence of hovering figures.

Nighttime Attacks in Scripture

Satan's work under the cloak of the night isn't without biblical precedent. To be certain, it's what led to the near-destruction of Job. Allow me to elaborate. Job was considered by God to be "blameless and upright, fearing God and avoiding evil" (Job 1:1).

But unbeknownst to Job, a wager was made in the heavens, instigated by Satan. The devil argued that if God's blessings were removed, Job wouldn't maintain his righteousness. And God allowed, then Satan immediately went to work attacking Job's character, stealing his property, children and health. Eventually, when word got around of Job's tribulations, his friends came to determine just what was going on. They remained quiet, for the most part, seeking to properly discern the situation. But it all radically changed after an attack in the night.

In the midst of deep sleep, Job's best friend, Eliphaz, reported, "A word was brought to me secretly" (Job 4:12–13). It was an experience so intense, in fact, that he was overcome with dread and shaken to his core (Job 4:14). Shortly after, Eliphaz felt a spirit glide across his face, causing his hair to bristle. When a form stood before him, he heard a voice:

"Can a mortal be more righteous than God? Can a man be more pure than his Maker?" (Job 4:17).

These were no innocent questions about humanity's position compared to God. No, this spirit was planting impure thoughts to put into question the very declaration God had previously made about Job. That is, it questioned Job's righteousness. And it worked. Eliphaz quickly broke his silence to indict Job for his own distress.

So many of us have experienced something similar—dread and trembling in the night that shakes our very cores. What should be a new day filled with God's new mercies (see Lamentations 3:22), turns into a day of feeling dirty and defeated.

Your 4 Defenses

Thankfully, God never leaves anyone to be the devil's doormat. And even in your sleep, you don't have to be defenseless. Nighttime is a crucial time to trust in God's power to combat the enemy on your behalf. And I've learned four unfailing ways to do so—sure to end nighttime attacks for good.

1. Close open doors. Yes, you may sleep more peacefully if you close—and lock!—your bedroom door. But that's not what I'm talking about here. There may be spiritual doors left open in your life, welcoming the enemy in to attack. These often include lifestyle sins such as offense and unforgiveness, occult practices or sexual promiscuity. To close these doors, simply acknowledge the sin and thank God for His finished work on the cross that removed it. Then ask Him to manifest the power of the cross in your life to sever the sin's hold on you.

2. Plead Jesus' blood. Speaking of the accuser, John wrote that we overcome him "by the blood of the Lamb" (Revelation 12:11). I've found that invoking the power of Jesus' blood is especially critical to ending attacks in the night. Before you go to bed, speak aloud, "I cover myself in the blood of  Jesus." I believe this places a spiritual force field around you that the enemy can't penetrate. The blood of Jesus freshly applied on you repels Satan with a reminder of his defeat at Christ's cross.

3. Ask God to surround you with leagues of angels. Within God's heavenly hierarchy are hosts of angel armies that He charges to guard and protect us in everything that we do (Psalm 91:11). Many find it particularly effective to pray aloud before retiring for bed, "God, I ask you to send leagues of angels to protect me as I sleep." You probably won't see them, but be assured that an angelic line of defense will report to duty to surround you in your slumber.

4. Meditate on God's Word. God gives us His Word as a weapon in spiritual warfare. In fact, God's Word is the final piece Paul lists in the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:17). To keep the enemy at bay, maintain a practice of running God's Word through your mind and your mouth. Additionally, many find it helpful to saturate their environments with the Word by playing Scripture set to music. My new Experience Freedom album (available on CD and iTunes) is a powerful resource for this. It guides you in speaking the Word over yourself, and is useful to set a peaceful environment while you work or sleep. One thing is certain: The father of lies has no power when the truth of the Father is present.

It's easy to get into battle mode, believing that we must fight Satan in our own efforts. But God revealed to me that spiritual warfare isn't about having a bloodbath with a devil that's defeated.

No, it's about standing in the victory of the One who defeated him. And in this case, you can sleep soundly in victory by activating God's defenses on your behalf: His cross, His blood, His angels and His Word.

Kyle Winkler teaches people how to live in victory. His mobile app, Shut Up, Devil!, is the No. 1 spiritual warfare app; and his recent book, Silence Satan, has helped thousands shut down the enemy's attacks, threats, lies and accusations. Kyle holds a Master of Divinity degree in biblical studies from Regent University. Get daily encouragement from Kyle on Facebook and Twitter.

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